Pivoted clamp



Dec. 25, 1956 E. PEDRERO PIvoTED CLAMP Filed May 20. 1953 INVENTOR. EDELMIRA PEDRERO BY E i United States VPatent' PIVOTED CLAMP Edelmira Pedrero, New York, N. Y.

Application May 20, 1953, Serial No. 356,210 1 Claim. (cl. 2424s) rDhis invention relates to garment fasteners and, more particularly, to new and useful improvements in a clasp or fastener for a l-adys beit .and the like.

A principal object of the present invent-ion is to provide a clasp or fastener of this character Iwhich is adapted to clamp the belt and the like securely in position.

Another object of the invention is 'to provide a clasp which is characterized by fewness of parts which are not likely yto vget out of order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clasp Iwhich is adjustable to lit various size `belts and the like.

It is further proposed to provide a clasp or fas-tener for a ladys belt which is simple in construction and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For fur-ther comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had 'to the following descrip-tion and accompanying drawings, land to the appended. claim in which the vari-ous novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming Aa material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a front eleva-tional view of a cla-sp embodying one form of the invention applied to a ladys belt.

IFig. 2 is a side elevation-al View of the improved clasp in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clasp in open position.

\Fig. 4 is an inner perspective View of the base plate of the clasp.

Fig. 5 is la similar view of the clamping plate.

lFig. 6 is a perspective view of -a modified form of clasp.

Fig 7 is a side elevational view of another modified form of clasp.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing a further moditied form of the invention.

EFig. l0 is 'a perspective view of the clamping plate of Fig. 9.

Referring in detail to the drawings and with particular reference to Figs. l to 5, inclusive vthe improved clasp 10 is shown securing the ends 11 and 12 of a belt 13 positioned around the waist of a ladys dress 14.

The clasp consists of a flat base plate of thin sheet metal shaped at one end with perforated ears 16, which serve as bearing members. A clamping plate or bar 17 of similar material has hinged pins 1 8 extending laterally from one end thereof for engaging in the per- -forations of the ears 16 whereby the plate 17 is hin-gedly connected to 'the base plate. The plates 15 and 17 are corrugated Ifor substantially their leng-th to provide alternating sharp projections 19 Iand 19a, respectively. The other end of the clamping plate -is curled as indicated at 20. A curved keeper portion 21 is integral with the other end of th-e base plate 15 with its Ifree end positioned in the pat-h of movement `of the curled end ICC of the clamping plate whereby the clamping plate is releasa'bly held in closed position.

In use, the clasp 10 is applied to the parts of the article to -be fastened, as those of the ends 11 and 12 of the belt 13, as shown in Fig. l, in a manner to embrace them between the base plate V15 and the lclamping plate 17, whereupon the clamping plate 17 is fastened by pressing i-t-s curled end 20 Iinto frictional engagement with the keeper member 21 `on the base plate 15. By the act of thus fastening the clamping plate, the projections 19 thereon bite into the material of the belt ends thus securely clamping the ends together. The plates are readily disengaged by the finger of the user.

Fig. 6 illustrates another modification of the invention wherein each of the ears 16" of the -base plate 15 is 'formed with a circuitous .slot having lower and upper horizontal sections 23 and 2'4, respectively, connected by a vertical section 25 at one of their ends. The other end of the horizontal section 23 dips downwardly and terminates in a notch 26. The other end of the upper horizontal section 24 also dips downwardly and terminates in a notch 27. The notches are offset slightly from their entrance passages. By reason of this construction, the hinge pins 18 of the clamping plate 17 may be inserted in either of the notches 26 or 27 so as to adjust the space between the base plate 15 and the `clamping plate 17l so as to fit various size belts and the like. The loffsetting -of the notches `serves to hold the hinge pins against displacement therein.

In all other respects, -the form of clasp shown -in Fig. 6 is similar to the form shown in Fig. 2 and `similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

In the modified form of ithe invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the base plate 15 of the clasp is slightly arched and is curved at one end and shaped to provide perforated ears 16. The other end of the base plate is also curved to provide a hooked keeper member 22. In this form, the convex face of the curved end 20 of the clamping bar 17 is adapted to be swung into clamping engagement with the concaved face of the hooked portion 22 of the base plate and the longitudinal pressure of the resilient clamping bar will main-tain the parts in closed position.

The members 15 and 17 are provided with a plurali-ty of alternating sharp gripping points 30 and 3'1, respectively, :for gripping the ends 11 and 12 :of the belt 13.

lFigs. 9 Iand l0 show a Ifurther modied form of the invention wherein the clamping plate or bar 17b at one end is formed with spring fingers 32 curved under and engaging opposed extensions 33 on ythe adjacent end of the base plate 15b ywhereby the clasp is normally hel-d in closed position by the action of the spring fingers. In order to open the clasp, the extensions 33 and spring fingers 32 are squeezed together.

In other respects this lform of the invention is similar to the previous `form and similar reference numerals with the exponent b used to indicate similar parts.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to Ibe understood that -I do not limit myself to Athe precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming Iwithin the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent A clasp comprising a `base plate having an integral curved keeper portion at 4one end thereof, opposed parallel ears at the other end, said ears each having a continuous slot with upper and lower parallel horizontal sections and a connecting section at one end thereof, a

Patented Dec. 25, 1956 clamping bar having hinge pins at one end thereof slidably and hingedly mounted in vsaid connected slots for pivoting 'the bar at selecteddi'stances from the base plate, the other end of said bar being curved and adapted to frietionally engage the `curved keeper on the base plate to hold lthe `clamping bar releasably in closed position, said horizontal slots sections having notches oiset from each `other for receiving the pins and hol-ding the clamping bar in adjusted position, and spaced corrugations on fthe opposed surfaces of the base plate and clamping bar, extending the widths of said surfaces, said corrugations being disposed in ystaggered relation, .for securing the overlapped ends `of a belt.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McFarland May 16, Bowen Nov. 27, King Aug. 6, Strickland Ian. 6, Perry Feb. 23, Stajanovitz Dec. 9, Smith June 5, Kulhawy Mar. 13, Frank Apr. 18, 'Roger-s Feb. 1, 

